Generally, washing machine appliances include a cabinet with a wash tub mounted therein. A wash basket is rotatably mounted within the wash tub and receives articles for washing. During operation of the appliance, washing fluid (e.g., water and/or detergent) is used to clean articles disposed within the wash basket. For example, after a user makes selections regarding wash and rinse cycles, the washing machine operates one or more valves to fill the wash tub with a certain amount of water. Additives such as detergent and fabric softeners may also be added manually or automatically to the water to form the washing fluid.
The wash tub may be drained and filled several times depending upon the wash and rinse cycles selected or programmed for the cleaning process. In addition, washing fluid may be circulated through the wash tub during wash or rinse cycles to assist in cleaning articles disposed in the wash basket. The washing machine can include a pump assembly for draining and/or recirculating fluid in the appliance. For example, the pump assembly can include a pump for draining the washing fluid from the wash tub, e.g., after completion of wash or rinse cycles.
The pump assembly is generally mounted below the wash tub within the appliance's cabinet. Presently, many components of the washing machine are mounted and/or stored below the wash tub, e.g., a bulk fluid dispenser. Accordingly, space within the cabinet below the wash tub is often at a premium. Thus, a pump assembly with features for conserving valuable space within the appliance's cabinet would be useful.
The pump assembly also generally includes a filter. The filter is mounted within the pump assembly and screens out e.g., buttons, lint, hair, dirt, and/or other particles that could potentially damage the pump assembly. However, a filter can require maintenance, e.g., cleaning out the filter. Such maintenance can be time consuming and inconvenient. Thus, a pump assembly with an improved filter and features for increasing the time period between cleanings of the filter would be appreciated.
During filter maintenance, a user must generally access the filter. In certain washing machine appliance, the pump assembly's filter can be difficult and/or inconvenient to access. Thus, during maintenance or service of pump assembly, valuable time and/or energy can be wasted accessing the pump assembly's filter. Accordingly, a pump assembly with features for facilitating access to a filter of the pump assembly would be useful.
In particular, certain filters are secured within a pump assembly with a cap having screw threads that require multiple complete rotations to secure the filter within the pump assembly. Thus, during maintenance, a user must complete multiple rotations of the cap to secure the filter. In addition, the cap can assist in compressing a seal on the filter to provide a water-tight barrier that prevents fluid from escaping the pump assembly. For example, certain filters include a face seal that must be compressed against a casing of the pump assembly to properly set. However, during maintenance, it can be difficult to ascertain if the cap has been sufficiently rotated to compress the seal against the casing. If the seal is not properly set, the pump assembly can leak during operation of the appliance. Thus, a pump assembly with features for conveniently securing a filter within the pump assembly without multiple complete rotations of a cap would be appreciated. Also, a pump assembly with filter having a seal that does not require multiple complete rotations of a cap to compress the seal would be useful.